Friction-clutch



No. 6l7,098. Patented Jan. 3, I899. H. W. HILL.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

(Application filed Max. 8, 1898.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

a g ammii L' L No. 617,098. Patented Jan. 3, I899. H. W. HILL.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

(Applicsltion filed Mar. 8, 1898.) ("0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheef 2.

m: Noam: PETERS ca, wnoruuwo... WASNINGTON, a c.

rrnn firnrns HARRY W. HILL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

FRICTION- CLUTCH.

SPECIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,098, dated January 3, 1899.

Application filed March 8, 1898.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY 1V. HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Friction-Clutches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accom panying drawings.

The invention is an improvement on the type of friction-clutches for which numerous patents have been granted to menamely, clutches wherein a pair of jaws mounted on a clutch-arm are simultaneously moved in a radial direction toward or from each other to grasp or release an interposed cylindrical flange.

The invention relates particularly to the means for holding the movable inner jaw in proper relation to the clutch-arm, to the form of the outer-jaw shank, to the mechanism whereby the movement along the shaft of a sleeve causes the jaws to move in the desired manner, and to the means employed for adjusting the throw of the jaws to compensate for wear or to adapt them to engage with flanges of different thicknesses.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out definitely in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of part of a clutch--that is to say, two arms of the clutch and the associated mechanism complete and a third arm from which the outer jaw and the jaw-operating mechanism have been moved. Fig. 2 is a diametrical section view of the clutch.

Referring to the parts by letters, A represents a clutch-frame, the hub a of which may be keyed to a shaft J.

B represents a pulley which may be loosely mounted upon the same shaft, and it is provided with a cylindrical flange b.

The clutch-frame is provided with a plurality of radial arms (1, arranged symmetrically about the axis of rotation. The number of these arms is immaterial, a frame having six arms being shown in the drawings. The jaws and mechanism associated with each arm are like the similar parts associated with Serial No. 673,055. (No model.)

every other arm, wherefore a description of one set of such mechanism will answer for all.

0 represents the inner jaw, whose operative face (which may be made of wood) is adapted to fit the inner periphery of the cylindrical flange b. The jaw also has ashank c, by means of which it is held against the inner face of the clutch-arm and moved thereon. This shank lies between two ribs a a at the side of the arm, whereby the jaw is guided in a radial path, and it is held upon the arm by a bolt F, which passes through a slot 0, in the arm and screws in the jawshank. This bolt also passes through a square washer K, which lies against the outer face of the clutch-arm, and between two ribs a a which are parallel with a radial line.

D represents the outer jaw, whose operative face (which may be of wood) is shaped to fit the outer periphery of the cylindrical flange. The edges of the shank d of this jaw lie against the outer face of the clutch-arm and between the ribs (0 a thereon, by which. it is guided in a radial direction, and it is held upon the clutch-arm by gibs H, which are secured to the clutch-arm and extended over the edges of the j aw-shank. This jaw-shank between its edges is curved outward longitudinally, so as to leave a recess between it and the clutch-arm for the head of the bolt F and the square washer K. A radial slot a is formed through the clutch-arm, extending from a point just inside of the slot a to a point near the hub a. In the sides of this slot two recesses a a are formed, and into each recess is placed a block I, which blocks receive and support the ends of the lever-pivot e. E represents a rocking lever pivoted upon this pivot and extending through the slot a in the clutch-arm. On one side of the pivot e it is pivotally connected with the outer-jaw shank, the pivot-hole being large enough to allow for the necessary play of the pivot, and on the other side is pivotally connected with the inner-jaw shank. Obviously when this lever is rocked upon its central pivot both jaws move in reverse directions toward or from each other. This lever E has an anglearm e, which makes an angle of about fortythree pivots of the lever. A threaded rod M passes at right angles through the end of this arm. Two nuts m m upon this threaded rod, lying on opposite sides of said lever-arm, afford means for adjusting the rod in the arm and for securing it in any desired position.

G represents a bell-crank lever, which likewise passes through the slot a in the clutcharm and is pivoted to the clutch-frame by the pivot g. The long arm of this lever is connected by means of the links N with a sleeve P, mounted so as to slide upon the shaft. The other arm, which is the short arm and which extends upward at an angle to the long arm, being approximately parallel to the lever-arm e, is connected with the threaded bar by means of the links H, pivotally connected with both.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that as the sleeve P is moved toward the hub of the clutch-frame the long arm of the lever G is rocked upward. This causes the short arm to act through the link R upon the arm 6 of the rocking lever, with the result of rocking saidlever E and moving both jaws toward each other to clasp the interposed cylindrical flange. When the sleeve is moved in the opposite direction, the parts reverse their motion,

Having described my invention, I claim- In a friction-clutch, aclutch-frame adapted to be secured to a shaft and having a plurality of radial clutch-arms each of which has a radial slot a and is combined substantially as described with the following mechanism, namely, two radially-movable jaws having shanks which are held respectively against the inner and outer faces of said arm, a rocking lever which passes through the slot a and is pivoted to the clutch-arm and pivotally connected on opposite sides of its supportingpivot with thejawo jaw-shanks, said rocking lever having on its outer end an integral angle-arm which extends diagonally toward the axis of the clutch-frame, a threaded rod M which passes through said angle-arm and is adjustably secured thereto by the nuts m m, the bell-crank lever G which is pivoted to the clutch-frame behind the clutch-arm and has a short arm which lies behind the clutch-arm and is substantially parallel to the angle-arm of the rocking lever, and a long arm which passes through the slot a", a link passing through said slot a and pivotally connected at its ends with the short arm of the lever and with the rod M, a sliding sleeve P, andoperative connection between said sleeve and the long arm of said lever, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

HARRY WV. HILL. Witnesses:

E. L. THURSTON, PHILIP E. KNOVVLTON. 

